Pavement Whispers: Volume 174 May 29

From whispers of a new fish and chippery to pop-ups turned permanent, The Weekend Edition is always on the search for the latest news in Brisbane, dedicated to ensuring its readers are in the know. When we put our ears to the pavement this week, this is what we found out …

The Barra BoysThere’s something fishy happening in East Brisbane! Work has commenced on modern fish and chippery The Barra Boys, due to open on Stanley Street East in mid-June. The eatery comes from father-son duo Stace and Nick Mavris, who have been working together in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years. The Barra Boys was born from their love and knowledge of local seafood, with Nick taking the reins in the kitchen and Stace handling fresh seafood buying. A variety of fresh seafood, fish and chips, salads, burgers, platters and classic snacks such as Chiko Rolls will feature on the menu, which will be available for dine in (with a cheeky beer or wine) and takeaway.

HellboundAfter artist Steen Jones announced he was closing his beloved bar Deathproof in New Farm, he decided he was going to pay the venue forward to good hands. The search then began to find the ideal candidates to take over the space – the licences, kitchen, fixtures and some of Steen’s art – and transform the venue into their own dream concept. The victors were local couple Megan Carter and Phil Johnson, who are combining Megan’s 15 years running bars and Phil’s experience with and love of craft beer to create Hellbound. The bar will have a similar look and feel to Deathproof – Steen is creating a custom piece for the back wall – and will feature rotating craft beers on tap and in the fridge, a small selection of Australian wines and American-style eats such as burgers and wings. Hellbound is due to open on June 8, kicking off with a big opening party showcasing Ballistic Beer Co. and Black Hops Brewing, with fun and freebies all weekend.

MongrelJust over a year after its first takeover, pop-up restaurant Mongrel has found a permanent location. Self-described flavour pimps Henry Wu, Gabriel Escalante-Gafau and Annie Bingley have spent the last 13 months taking over restaurants around town (including Naïm, Betty’s and King Arthur) with their punchy menus, and have just signed a lease on Park Road in Milton. Due to open in July, the bar and eatery will tantalise tastebuds with Peruvian-inspired flavours, drawing on chef Gabriel’s roots, with bar snacks taking influence from a number of cuisines. The Mongrel team will be brewing small batches of its own beer alongside a concise selection of local beers on tap, local wines and cocktails.

Ginger & RoseThe plant-based dining movement is gaining even more momentum in Brisbane, with New Farm arrival Ginger & Rose set to join the flourishing scene next Wednesday June 6. The brainchild of seasoned hospitality veterans Tracy and Brittany Humphreys, Ginger & Rose is situated on Merthyr Road in the space that once housed Escobar Kitchen & Bar. The cafe will serve a predominantly plant-based array of bites, with close attention paid to providing dairy-free and gluten-free options. Patrons can expect to see the likes of vegan and gluten-free pancakes (with three choices of topping), delicious salads, open-grill sandwiches, homemade quiches, burgers and pizzas. Ginger & Rose will also be whipping up a range of miniature cakes, pastries, muffins and croissants – all baked daily. Die-hard carnivores can still get their fix, with meat and egg add-ons available for a protein boost. In good news for pooches, puppychinos and treats will be on hand, so furry pals are more than welcome. We’ll be taking a closer look for you next week.

Appetite for Excellence Awards
The finalists for this year’s Appetite for Excellence Awards have been announced, with Brisbane holding strong against our southern neighbours. Twenty-six finalists were nominated for the awards, now in its 13th year, across the categories of young chef, young waiter and young restaurateur. Stokehouse Q’s Tyler Austin, Blackbird’s Ellen Reinhardt and Brisbane gal Olivia Evans from Paper Daisy were among the seven finalists for Australian Young Waiter, and Gauge’s Brad Cooper holds the only Brisbane nomination for Australian Young Chef alongside three other Queensland finalists. The finalists will be assessed by judges including Mr Wong’s Dan Hong, Franklin’s Analise Gregory and Quay’s Peter Gilmore, with the winners announced at an awards ceremony on August 6.